1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a speaker system including an acoustic horn disposed in a cabinet.
2. Description of the Related Art
A variety of speaker systems have been used for various audio systems. For example, a speaker system having a large sound output is used in a concert hall, while a compact speaker system is used in a television receiver. A bass reflection type speaker system is popular as a speaker system which is small but is able to radiate powerful low tones.
An example of a conventional bass reflection type speaker system is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II--II' of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a speaker system 10 includes a hollow cabinet 12, and a speaker unit 14. The front peripheral edge of the speaker unit 14 is joined with a peripheral edge of a sound radiating aperture 12A on a front panel 12F of the cabinet 12. An acoustic port 18 is disposed in the cabinet 12.
Sound 100 from the front side of the speaker unit 14 is radiated forwardly via the sound radiating aperture 12A. Sound 101 from the rear of the speaker unit 14 is reflected by a rear panel 12R of the cabinet 12, thereby becoming a reflected sound 102. The reflected sound 102 is radiated forwardly via the acoustic port 18.
With the bass reflection type speaker unit, the sound 100 from the front side of the speaker unit 14 is added to the reflected sound 102, thereby becoming more powerful low tones.
FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a conventional speaker system including a passive radiator. The speaker system 20 comprises a cabinet 22, a speaker unit 24, and a passive radiator 26 which blocks an aperture 22B on a front panel 22F of the cabinet 22. To be more specific, a damping member 28 such as rubber is disposed between the front panel 22F and the passive radiator 26 so that the passive radiator 26 is freely vibratory back and forth.
Sound 104 from the rear of the speaker unit 24 is reflected by the rear panel 22R, and vibrates the passive radiator 26. The vibrating passive radiator 26 radiates sound 105 from its front side.
The sound 105 radiated by the passive radiator 26 is added to the sound 103 from the front side of the speaker unit 24, thereby intensifying the low tones. The speaker system of FIG. 3 is cited from "Speaker System, Vol. II," page 284 (FIG. 8.34), by Takeo Yamamoto, First Issue of Radio Technology, Jul. 15, 1979.
The speaker systems described above include small cabinets, but can offer abundant low tones.
However both of the speaker systems require apertures 12B and 22B on the front panels, which are difficult to decrease in size.
Particularly since it is required to install a small speaker system in a television receiver, the foregoing speaker systems are difficult to reduce the size of the front panel due to the apertures 12B and 22B.